Latest news with #Socotra
The National
14-07-2025
- Health
- The National
UAE leads life-saving drive to tackle malnutrition in Yemen's Socotra
The UAE has joined forces with the World Health Organisation to lead a campaign to reduce the number of deaths caused by malnutrition on the Yemeni island of Socotra. Field teams from the UAE and the WHO have carried out assessments in the first phase of a drive aimed at bolstering health systems and improving patient care. Health workers have completed the first of four visits over the course of a year, as part of a mission to reduce the malnutrition death rate by up to 20 per cent within the next two to five years. The initiative is being carried out with the support of the Yemen's Ministry of Public Health and Population, state news agency Wam reported on Monday. The baseline assessment covered 38 villages across 29 subdistricts of Socotra, which has an estimated population of 60,000. Data was collected from 4,214 households, with field teams interviewing more than 900 care providers and taking anthropometric measurements from children and mothers. Such measurements are typically used to assess the height and weight of infants and adults. That data is an important indicator of nutrition and the risk of disease. The findings will be used to compile a report that will detail the maternal and child health and nutrition status of the community. It will also examine the readiness of healthcare sites to respond to emergency situations and meet the needs of patients. Future stages of the initiative will include the distribution of medical goods and other supplies, work by technical experts and service providers, and the launch of training programmes and community awareness campaigns. Remote island of global significance Socotra is part of one of the most isolated islands in the world. It is about 340km south-west of Yemen. While remote and small, it is known for its centuries-old, umbrella-shaped dragon blood trees and has been described as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean because of its biodiversity. The Socotra Archipelago – made up of six islands, including its largest, Socotra – received Unesco World Heritage Site status in 2008 in recognition of its biodiversity and high number of endemic species. Socotra has endured a number of challenges in recent years, including two cyclones in 2015. The UAE provided $110 million in humanitarian aid to the people of Socotra from 2015 to 2021, offering assistance to its communities and helping to lay foundations for the future. The aid was delivered by organisations including the Emirates Red Crescent, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, the Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Humanitarian and Scientific Foundation, and the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre. Key investment restored Socotra's airport and paid for the construction of two solar power stations, the establishment of four power plants and the installation of power generators in remote villages.
Forbes
10-07-2025
- Science
- Forbes
In Photos: Astronomy Photographer Of The Year Shortlist Revealed
Aurora Over Mono Lake: A Rare Dance of Light © Daniel Zafra The Royal Observatory Greenwich has unveiled the shortlisted images for the annual ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year, which celebrates the best space photography from around the world. The entries feature the spectacular displays of aurora in 2024, the Milky Way, stunning star trails, total solar eclipses and the moon. The Royal Observatory Greenwich reports that it had over 5,500 entries from 69 countries for what is generally agreed to be the most prestigious astrophotography competition. The overall winner, who will receive $13,600, will be announced on Thursday, Sept. 11, along with the winners of the competition's other nine categories and two special prizes. The winning photographs will be showcased at the National Maritime Museum, close to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, from Sept. 12. 'This competition is a tribute to those who turn their eyes to the stars and share what they see with the world,' said Sam Wen, Founder and CEO of ZWO, the competition's sponsor. A solitary dragon tree stands tall in the heart of Socotra's Dragon Blood Tree forest, Yemen. A Dragon Tree Trail In Yemen One of the most striking images is this one above, of a Dragon Tree on the island of Socotra, Yemen. It was taken by Benjamin Barakat while in the heart of Socotra's Dragon Blood Tree forest in March 2024. Another standout is the main image at the top of this article, of the Northern Lights over Mono Lake, California. It was shot by Dan Zafra at who was shortlisted in 2022 and won the people's choice category. 'This photograph captures the rare occurrence of Northern Lights in California,' he says. 'Vibrant ribbons of magenta and green light up the sky, reflecting in the still waters among the rock formations.' The shot was taken on Oct. 10, 2024, one of the three strongest displays of aurora in 2024. The full Moon rising above the rugged peaks of the Dolomites. With no clouds in sight and in ... More flawless conditions, the golden light of sunset bathes the mountains, creating harmony between Earth and sky. The Full Moon The shortlist contains multiple images of the moon. Above is the full moon rising above the rugged peaks of the Dolomites in Italy. Shot in perfect conditions, the golden light of sunset bathes the mountains, and the timing of the shot is exquisite. Photographer Fabian Dalpiaz calls this shot 'Moonrise Perfection Over the Dolomites.' There are other images of the moon — another moonrise, one of the International Space Station appears to transit its disk and another of a moon-Saturn occultation. The Beaver Moon was the last supermoon of 2024. This photograph was taken from the hazy, Bortle 9 ... More skies of Delhi. The full-disc mosaic is composed of 24 images then stitched together to create a seamless mosaic. The 'Mineral Moon' The 'Mineral Moon' Photographer Karthik Easvur took the image, above, of November 2024's beaver moon — the year's last supermoon — while in Delhi, India. It was created by first taking hundreds of images and stacking them together, drawing out faint color differences during processing — particularly titanium (blue) and iron (orange and brown). While you can't see these colors with the naked eye, they're based on real data and give valuable insight into the moon's composition and geological history. Below is another standout Milky Way image, taken by photographer Yujie Zhang in August 2024 while in Songyang County, China. It shows several black geometric buildings appearing to stand on the water's surface. Gateway to the Galaxy © Yujie Zhang What Is The Royal Observatory Greenwich? The Royal Observatory Greenwich is home to Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian, an imaginary line of longitude, designated as 0 degrees that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole. The Prime Meridian — which divides the western and eastern hemispheres of the world — is marked as a line on the floor of its courtyard on a hill in Greenwich Park in southeast London, overlooking the River Thames. The first state-funded, purpose-built scientific institution in the U.K., in 2025, it's marking 350 years since its foundation in 1675. It was set up by King Charles II to help with astronomy and navigation in an era of European exploration and increasing international trade. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Khaleej Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE, WHO launch joint effort to cut child mortality from malnutrition by 20% in Yemen
The UAE and the World Health Organisation launched a joint initiative to reduce mortality rate caused by poor health and malnutrition among children in Yemen by 20 per cent. The global body said on Sunday that the project aims to enhance maternal and child health services — targeting 80 per cent across health facilities within the next 24 months. The initiative is led by the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation for Humanitarian Work, and in close coordination with Yemen's Ministry of Public Health and Population (MoPHP). The focus of the programme is Socotra, a Yemeni island in the Indian Ocean, where malnutrition and disease outbreaks continue to pose a serious threat. Socotra is grappling with severe food insecurity and repeated outbreaks of cholera, measles, and dengue fever. The island's under-resourced health and nutrition services leave children under five, along with pregnant and lactating women, at especially high risk of preventable diseases and death. With a population of over 83,000, Socotra is served by just 32 strained health facilities. It currently lacks essential infrastructure such as a central public health laboratory, a functional drug warehouse, and a system for pre-positioning medical supplies — all critical for timely emergency response and sustainable healthcare delivery. The healthcare system faces chronic shortages of skilled personnel, essential medicines, and emergency preparedness mechanisms. Maternal health indicators are particularly concerning: over 92 per cent of pregnant women suffer from anaemia, and antenatal care remains minimal. Additionally, nearly 37 per cent of children have not received any vaccinations. Malnutrition levels are also alarming, with the global acute malnutrition (GAM) rate at 10.9 per cent and the severe acute malnutrition (SAM) rate at 1.6 per cent — figures that reflect a serious public health emergency. As part of the programme, WHO and the UAE will focus on enhancing epidemic preparedness and disaster risk reduction. This includes equipping healthcare facilities, training staff to better respond to disease outbreaks and cyclone-related emergencies, and creating a multisectoral coordination platform. Quarterly strategic planning meetings will bring together WHO, UAE, MoPHP, and other partners to ensure ongoing collaboration and effective implementation. 'We are determined to effectively address food and health challenges faced by women and children in Socotra, in collaboration with the WHO,' said Mohamed Haji Al Khouri, director-general of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation for Humanitarian Work. Al Khouri explained that the Khalifa Foundation, an affiliate of Erth Zayed Philanthropies, would work with the WHO to develop appropriate solutions to nutritional and health challenges using a new survey based on current data. 'The joint initiative aims to reduce maternal and child mortality caused by malnutrition through a comprehensive plan of action. This will enhance maternal, infant, and child care services, and improve emergency preparedness and response to epidemics,' he added.' 'This programme reflects a joint commitment by WHO and the UAE to improving the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, particularly mothers and children, while reinforcing healthcare systems in crisis-affected areas," said Dr Ferima Coulibaly-Zerbo, acting representative of WHO in Yemen. "We are working to create more resilient, equitable, and responsive health services for the people of Socotra, establishing a foundation for long-term health security on the island and contributing to a stronger and healthier Yemen,' she added.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
If P&C Insurance launches car sharing product on Socotra's cloud platform
If P&C Insurance, a property and casualty (P&C) insurer in the Nordic region, has gone live on Socotra with an embedded car sharing product. The product, now available on Socotra's cloud-native platform, was brought to market within a five-month period. Socotra is a policy and billing technology platform that helps insurers launch products and updates with the help of cloud technologies and application programming interfaces (APIs). The car sharing insurance product is designed to provide a digital experience with features that cater to the needs of car sharing platforms and their users. These include on-demand coverage, usage-based pricing and options for deductible reduction, aimed at delivering customised protection. The initial phase of the partnership involved a five-month proof of concept, where If P&C self-implemented the insurance product on Socotra's platform, integrating it with their systems for payments, claims, accounting and reporting. If intends to continue leveraging Socotra's open APIs and the platform's configurable nature for future product updates and integrations. Socotra CEO Dan Woods said: 'I applaud the tech-savvy team at If for launching an embedded car sharing product in only five months. I am proud that Socotra's powerful and flexible core platform has enabled If's rapid deployment and innovative solution, and I look forward to accelerating their growth into new markets.' Erik Granmar, CEO of If P&C's subsidiary, Insrt AB, stated: "Choosing Socotra was a strategic decision that allowed If to go live quickly while maintaining autonomy. Socotra's powerful and flexible policy core empowered our team to easily self-implement an embedded insurance product and connect it to an ecosystem of technology. 'By partnering with Socotra, If can deliver new products faster and more efficiently, positioning us for greater success in the Nordic and Baltic markets." In March this year, If P&C announced its first business release on the Guidewire Cloud Platform, utilising Guidewire InsuranceSuite. The Swedish insurer reports $7bn (Skr67.5bn) in gross written premiums. "If P&C Insurance launches car sharing product on Socotra's cloud platform " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
If P&C Insurance Goes Live on Socotra With Embedded Car-Sharing Product
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Socotra, the leading provider of insurance core technology, announced today that If P&C Insurance (If), the largest property and casualty insurer in the Nordic region, has successfully launched a car-sharing insurance product on Socotra's cloud-native platform in only five months. By leveraging Socotra's flexible core and open APIs, If has rapidly expanded into new geographies and customer segments. As the largest P&C insurer in the Nordics with $7 billion in gross written premiums (GWP), If has established a reputation for innovation and agility in the insurance industry. With its innovative new car-sharing insurance product, If further strengthens its position within the sharing economy. The fully embedded and API-first solution enables a seamless digital journey for end users, providing peace of mind through customizable features such as on-demand coverage, usage-based pricing, and deductible reduction. This ensures tailored protection precisely when needed, specifically benefiting car-sharing platforms and their users. "Choosing Socotra was a strategic decision that allowed If to go live quickly while maintaining autonomy," said Erik Granmar, CEO of Insrt AB, a subsidiary of If P&C. "Socotra's powerful and flexible policy core empowered our team to easily self-implement an embedded insurance product and connect it to an ecosystem of technology. By partnering with Socotra, If can deliver new products faster and more efficiently, positioning us for greater success in the Nordic and Baltic markets." The partnership began with a 5-month proof of concept, in which If self-implemented the product on Socotra and fully integrated it with their existing infrastructure for payments, claims, accounting, and reporting. Going forward, If will leverage Socotra's open APIs and well-defined and reusable configuration to independently update products and integrations, increasing their agility and reducing costs. 'I applaud the tech-savvy team at If for launching an embedded car sharing product in only five months,' said Dan Woods, CEO of Socotra. 'I'm proud that Socotra's powerful and flexible core platform has enabled If's rapid deployment and innovative solution, and I look forward to accelerating their growth into new markets.' About Socotra Socotra is the most powerful policy and billing technology in the insurance industry. Over 40 insurers worldwide trust Socotra to deliver the fastest product launches and updates, unrivaled data access and control, and the best support for insurance at massive scale–all for the lowest total cost of ownership. With true cloud and open APIs, Socotra is the most mature insurance core platform on the market. Learn more at About If P&C Insurance If is the leading property and casualty insurer in the Nordic region, with over 3.7 million customers in the Nordic and Baltic countries. If offers a full range of P&C insurance solutions and services to a broad customer base, from private individuals to large corporate customers. If operates on a pan-Nordic basis leveraging both scale and capabilities across all areas in If. If's key success factor is continuous improvement of its operations.
